Many types of optical discs include a data region and a label region. The data region is where the machine-readable binary data is written to, whereas the label region allows the user to record a human-readable label or image on the optical disc. A laser or another type of optical beam can be used to read from and/or write to the data region and the label region of an optical disc. For example, in the patent application entitled “Integrated CD/DVD Recording and Label”, filed on Oct. 11, 2001, and assigned Ser. No. 09/976,877, a type of optical disc is disclosed in which a laser or other optical beam can be used to write to the label region of an optical disc.
In some optical discs, the data region and the label region may be on opposite sides of the disc. The data side of such an optical disc typically has one spiral track or a number of concentric tracks preconstructed thereon in the form of grooves. Therefore, an optical drive is able to employ a feedback-type process, such as a closed loop-type process, to ensure that it is properly following a track when writing data to or reading data from the track. However, the label side of an optical disc, such as the label side of the optical disc described in the patent application assigned Ser. No. 09/976,877, usually does not have any preformed tracks. As a result, it can be difficult to properly follow a track when writing to the label side of such an optical disc.